Critique my experience

[timelinex]

I am new to hunting overall and don't really know any good hunters (I didn't grow up here in AZ). So all my hunting knowledge is from reading online and personal experience from the last few years of effort. I'm actually not limiting myself to Muleys, but any antlered deer works.

I've bow-hunted deer on flat ground, walking and stalking. Supposedly this style of hunting deer is much harder. But I knew they passed through the particular area from non-hunting experience, so it was just a game of finding exactly where they were that day and then learning how to get close enough. I was relatively successful in the past season after nearly 100 miles (over entire season) of hiking around and learning haha

I know there is an early season (that ends today!) in game units I'm unfamiliar with, so I decided to try out the more conventional glassing from a mountain. Only one way to learn! I was able to go 4 times for 6+ hour days (starting at right before sunset). I was so disappointed. I wasn't expecting to get a deer, but I was hoping to at least spot one! I saw nothing but occasional cows (of the moo'ing variety!).

Based on reading I did the following places:

1. West of 17n off bloody basin rd

2. East of 17n across from Sunset Point, glassing into the canyon and opposite mountains. Twice

3. West of Horseshoe Lake. I got a tip from a friend that he heard the canyon in that area should hold deer. I rode my dirt bike off from the bartlet road, Then turned left on a trail close to Horseshoe. I took the dirt bike in as far as I could into the canyons, then hiked 3 miles or so that day. So it's not for lack of trying, considering it's with my 35lb bow pack in 105 degree weather! Nothing! I did find it hard to find great glassing spots. I glassed 3 or 4 different areas but it was never from a very tall peak. I could usually only get to halfway up a mountain. Even in those spots, I had to do some really sketchy steep climbing with loose ground. Walking through a lot of the canyon land habitat, I couldn't find any signs of deer except one area. I found 2 piles of scat. Which means deer have been there, but it wasn't abundant so I don't think it's a great sign either.

I wasn't expecting much from the first 2 locations since they were easy to get to and glass from, so I figured that meant most people would have already ravaged them. But I was really hopeful for the third.

Am I doing something wrong, looking in the wrong locations, or is it just that hard to find one this time of year?

 

[HntHrdr]

1. I would post much less detail about where you are going. Guys troll these sites for info.
2. If you are new to the west and glassing it it requires getting an eye for it and a tremendous amount of patience.
3. How good is your glass? Are you glassing off a tripod? Do you know when and where to look for deer. Ie early and late more likely to find them out feeding. Midday they will be bedded in the shade.
Hope those tips help.
Ps as a Co guy who spends a bit of time in Northern AZ. Man some of the p&j and high desert stuff looks super hard to find animals in.

 

[timelinex]

1. I would post much less detail about where you are going. Guys troll these sites for info.
2. If you are new to the west and glassing it it requires getting an eye for it and a tremendous amount of patience.
3. How good is your glass? Are you glassing off a tripod? Do you know when and where to look for deer. Ie early and late more likely to find them out feeding. Midday they will be bedded in the shade.
Hope those tips help.
Ps as a Co guy who spends a bit of time in Northern AZ. Man some of the p&j and high desert stuff looks super hard to find animals in.

Thanks for the advice.

I don't like posting the locations either, but unfortunately, I don't know how else to get advice on if my locations are far off or not.

Edit: Forgot to reply about glass. Part of the reason my pack was so heavy is I brought a tripod, and three different options for glass. Since I don't know what's best, I decided to try with everything I got. Vortex razor spotting scope 20-60 and 2 Vortex diamondback binoculars (8x and 15x).

My experience so far is while it's nice to sometimes ZOOM IN with that spotting scope, it is SO MUCH more fatigueing on the eyes to use compared to the bino's. The combo of 8x for general scanning and 15x to do a little more grid scanning seemed like a good combo.

 

[SlowElk]

It's hot AF out there right now. Be in a glassing spot two hours before sunrise, scan eastern side of hills, until the sun is fully up. After that, you'll have to find shady spots to pick apart with your spotting scope, looking for an ear or a tail to twitch, because they'll be bedded down.

 

[timelinex]

It's hot AF out there right now. Be in a glassing spot two hours before sunrise, scan eastern side of hills, until the sun is fully up. After that, you'll have to find shady spots to pick apart with your spotting scope, looking for an ear or a tail to twitch, because they'll be bedded down.

Hmmm, I've been arriving AT sunrise..... I guess it doesn't help that by the time I'm in position they are probably hiding from the blistering sun.

 

[Bluehair]

There are deer where you’re looking, but not many. I wouldn’t be too disappointed with your lack of success. It’s a tough time of year to find a desert buck.

Try getting a little further out of the valley or up towards Payson. Wouldn’t hurt to keep driving until you see some, then try looking there or come back and see if you can find them again.

If you’re determined to find a buck in the desert, try around Lake Pleasant. You might also be able to glass up a javalina there.

I like big binos for finding stuff, and the spotter for getting a closer look. As I get older I don’t even bother with the spotter. Enjoy the journey.

 

[2lumpy]

Bluehair knows how to locate big game. What he says will be invaluable. Some of the other responders probably do as well.

Here’s what I would do, if I were in your position. It’s seems you have a healthy dose of interest and try, so that’s the most important part…… that’s to your credit.

1. I’d buy and learn all you can about the OnX application for your phone. Learn and practice using it every chance you get. Spend the hours needed to learn all it does and how to utilize it to find specific locations on public land.

2. I’d buy really good paper maps from the U.S. Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management Offices, for the areas you’d like to hunt first. Expand your purchase of these maps as you move out to more distance locations. There are many many many different maps for public lands.

3. Start visiting taxidermists in the areas you want to hunt. Be honest, polite and friendly and tell them that your new to the area and ask if could purchase a little of their time to show you, on your US Forest Service and BLM maps where you can look for the animal you want to hunt, in the taxidermist area. Have him mark on the map’s locations and ask him why that specific location, careful not to sound like your challenging his recommended locations. Make notes so you don’t forget a month from now. Don’t over load him, you want to be welcome back. Mention how great his skills are, be honest, because he can tell if your bullsh!ting him. If you can, try to offer him something, as you would a good friend and he may be come a friend. That is always good. They talk to a ton of suggestful hunters and they make mental note of what folks share with him. He has an honest expectation of sharing knowledge with you. You may well be come a client that uses his service and bring other business his way. And it’s not disingenuous to has more than one taxidermist in different parts of the State. You help others and they help you……… it’s using hunter networking, perfectly ethical and honest. If he’s not helpful, ask a direct taxidermist……. You will eventually find one you will click with.

4. Do the same with people who sell hunting gear, include firearms on ammunition etc. I’d become a friend with smaller business in this regard. The owners of small businesses rather than the big box retailers. I find the small business owners/employees are more into what you’re doing and more interested in building a relationship with you……as you are with him. Your success is more valuable to him than a retail salesman at Bass Pro or Scheels, if that makes sense.

5. Go to your hunting areas year round, elk budge for a month in Sept and Oct. Deer rut in November and early December. They are more visible then. Scout during the summer when there is less humanity in the area. Find these animals and learn their day habits, when and where when they are not on high alert. Use that knowledge during hunting season.

6. Never stop taking hunting with new friends and old. Make new friends with people with common interest. Do what you can to be a good friend to them. Some will return the kindness, 10 times over.

7. It’s like learning to ski, golf, swim, rock climb, play poker…….. do it, do it do it and do it until it comes natural, building block on block on block of knowledge until it becomes intuitive and it will become intuitive but like any other skill……. time, sweat, and persistence are ultimately how it comes together.

I’ve seen guys from New York City become world class bull riders and they’ve never owned a horse or an acre of ground. We become what we do………

Wish you all the best.

 

[timelinex]

There are deer where you’re looking, but not many. I wouldn’t be too disappointed with your lack of success. It’s a tough time of year to find a desert buck.

Try getting a little further out of the valley or up towards Payson. Wouldn’t hurt to keep driving until you see some, then try looking there or come back and see if you can find them again.

If you’re determined to find a buck in the desert, try around Lake Pleasant. You might also be able to glass up a javalina there.

I like big binos for finding stuff, and the spotter for getting a closer look. As I get older I don’t even bother with the spotter. Enjoy the journey.

Thanks for the words of encouragement. It sounds like a big part of the issue is just not spending long enough out there, and maybe some other spots.

Bluehair knows how to locate big game. What he says will be invaluable. Some of the other responders probably do as well.

Here’s what I would do, if I were in your position. It’s seems you have a healthy dose of interest and try, so that’s the most important part…… that’s to your credit.

1. I’d buy and learn all you can about the OnX application for your phone. Learn and practice using it every chance you get. Spend the hours needed to learn all it does and how to utilize it to find specific locations on public land.

2. I’d buy really good paper maps from the U.S. Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management Offices, for the areas you’d like to hunt first. Expand your purchase of these maps as you move out to more distance locations. There are many many many different maps for public lands.

3. Start visiting taxidermists in the areas you want to hunt. Be honest, polite and friendly and tell them that your new to the area and ask if could purchase a little of their time to show you, on your US Forest Service and BLM maps where you can look for the animal you want to hunt, in the taxidermist area. Have him mark on the map’s locations and ask him why that specific location, careful not to sound like your challenging his recommended locations. Make notes so you don’t forget a month from now. Don’t over load him, you want to be welcome back. Mention how great his skills are, be honest, because he can tell if your bullsh!ting him. If you can, try to offer him something, as you would a good friend and he may be come a friend. That is always good. They talk to a ton of suggestful hunters and they make mental note of what folks share with him. He has an honest expectation of sharing knowledge with you. You may well be come a client that uses his service and bring other business his way. And it’s not disingenuous to has more than one taxidermist in different parts of the State. You help others and they help you……… it’s using hunter networking, perfectly ethical and honest. If he’s not helpful, ask a direct taxidermist……. You will eventually find one you will click with.

4. Do the same with people who sell hunting gear, include firearms on ammunition etc. I’d become a friend with smaller business in this regard. The owners of small businesses rather than the big box retailers. I find the small business owners/employees are more into what you’re doing and more interested in building a relationship with you……as you are with him. Your success is more valuable to him than a retail salesman at Bass Pro or Scheels, if that makes sense.

5. Go to your hunting areas year round, elk budge for a month in Sept and Oct. Deer rut in November and early December. They are more visible then. Scout during the summer when there is less humanity in the area. Find these animals and learn their day habits, when and where when they are not on high alert. Use that knowledge during hunting season.

6. Never stop taking hunting with new friends and old. Make new friends with people with common interest. Do what you can to be a good friend to them. Some will return the kindness, 10 times over.

7. It’s like learning to ski, golf, swim, rock climb, play poker…….. do it, do it do it and do it until it comes natural, building block on block on block of knowledge until it becomes intuitive and it will become intuitive but like any other skill……. time, sweat, and persistence are ultimately how it comes together.

I’ve seen guys from New York City become world class bull riders and they’ve never owned a horse or an acre of ground. We become what we do………

Wish you all the best.

Whew, thanks for all the advice! A variation of it probably applies to any hobby!

I've got 2 young kids (6 and 3), so time for hanging out outside the house is a bit scarce. But everyone has excuses, so I won't let that hold me back. I'll find time. Part of the reason I'm learning all this is to pass on these skills to them.

I've never been a big "networker" like you describe...but you are undoubtedly right.

I actually started talking to a guy on another forum. He gave me a bit of advice on my gear and a few spots to check out next season. He offered to go quail hunting during the upcoming season and talk shop there. Practice some glassing. I'm going to try taking him up on that offer!

 

[Soj51hopeful]

I would reiterate if it already hadn’t been said but if you’re getting there at daylight you are very much too late. You should be at your intended glassing spot and set up to glass before you can see.

 

[2lumpy]

Thanks for the words of encouragement. It sounds like a big part of the issue is just not spending long enough out there, and maybe some other spots.


Whew, thanks for all the advice! A variation of it probably applies to any hobby!

I've got 2 young kids (6 and 3), so time for hanging out outside the house is a bit scarce. But everyone has excuses, so I won't let that hold me back. I'll find time. Part of the reason I'm learning all this is to pass on these skills to them.

I've never been a big "networker" like you describe...but you are undoubtedly right.

I actually started talking to a guy on another forum. He gave me a bit of advice on my gear and a few spots to check out next season. He offered to go quail hunting during the upcoming season and talk shop there. Practice some glassing. I'm going to try taking him up on that offer!

There are more ways to skin a cat, most things can be learned independently but I’ve found it’s quicker to learn from others that already know…….. but a person can learn without acquiring the information from others. I have just found it has shorting the learning curve for me.

Don’t give up, it’s worth every ounce of effort and energy you put into it, your children will love you for introducing them to the life style.

 

[junior]

. Find water and you will find them.